Employment Specialist

State of South Dakota; Mission (SD); On-site; USD 28,000 - 40,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

11 paid holidays

Vacation and sick leave accrual

Retirement benefits

Job summary

State of South Dakota, Department of Social Services in Mission, SD, is recruiting for a Full-Time position that assesses and analyzes life circumstances to improve employment opportunities for TANF participants. The role identifies barriers to employment, assists in job search and retention, and delivers counseling to promote meaningful work opportunities.

The ideal candidate will hold a Bachelor's degree in relevant fields and demonstrate strong organization, communication, and problem-solving

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in social science, behavioral science, or other human service-related fields, business administration, public administration, education, or public health is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Assess and analyze current life circumstances to develop and enhance employment opportunities for TANF participants; identify and address barriers to employment; assist in job search and job retention activities; provide counseling and solutions to promote employment; identify customer interests, strengths, skills, abilities and challenges; determine appropriate training and sets realistic goals to match customers with jobs; develop curriculum for and present workshops.

Education

Bachelor's degree in social science or related field

Job description

Job ID: 37230
Agency: Department of Social Services / Division of Economic Assistance
Location:Mission, SD
Salary: $24.77 Hourly, depending on qualifications
Pay Grade: H
Closing Date: 09.08.2026
This is a Full-Time 40 Hours Weekly position with the Department of Social Services. For more information on DSS, please visit https://dss.sd.gov .

Why the Department of Social Services?

At the Department of Social Services (DSS), family is everything. It’s the foundation of what we do every day through provision of services to strengthen and support the citizens of South Dakota. Our work is driven with our vision to build Strong Families, South Dakota’s Foundation and Our Future. We believe families have the right to be safe and secure. We also believe in respecting individual and cultural differences by treating people with dignity, fairness, and respect. And we believe in collaborative communications, teamwork, partnerships and trust for essential family services. Sound intriguing?

Who We Want

• a highly motivated and experienced person with a passion for serving the public and displays a high level of effort and commitment towards completing assignments and goals;
• a compassionate individual who listens attentively to others and clearly conveys information and ideas;
• a dependable and organized individual who effectively plans and organizes work activities;
• a person who is dedicated and who will represent the Department of Social Service with integrity and enthusiasm; and
• an individual who works cooperatively with others and promotes a friendly work climate in order to achieve shared goals.

What You Will Do

We are currently looking to hire an individual who is excited to serve the public.

This position assesses and analyzes current life circumstances to develop and enhance employment opportunities for low income individuals participating in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, identifies and addresses barriers to employment, assists in job search and job retention activities, provides counseling and solutions to promote employment, identifies customer interests, strengths, skills, abilities and challenges, determine appropriate training and sets realistic goals to match customers with appropriate jobs, develops curriculum for and presents workshops and public presentations

Education/Licenses

A bachelor's degree in social science, behavioral science, or other human service-related fields, business administration, public administration, education, or public health, and/or experience in health care administration, finance, accounting, or insurance is preferred. Entry level knowledge and abilities may be acquired through any combination of training and/or experience that will enable the incumbent to possess the required knowledge, skills and abilities

The Ideal Candidate Will

• communicate effectively and efficiently;
• successfully plan and organize work activities, adjust to multiple demands, and prioritize tasks to complete assignments and meet schedules and deadlines;
• demonstrate compassion, respect, courtesy and tact when interacting with others;
• display confidence and innovation despite adversity;
• establish and maintain effective and collaborative working relationships with stakeholders;
• understand concepts related to client confidentiality;
• have the ability to comprehend, interpret and apply policies, procedures, laws and regulations;
• prepare clear and concise documentation, reports and correspondence that reflect relevant facts;
• assume initiative with minimal supervision.

Equally important will be a strong work ethic and the comprehension of critical thinking and problem-solving techniques. If you believe in strengthening and supporting strong families and investing in South Dakota’s future, you may have found the dream job you’ve been waiting for!

This position is eligible for Veterans’ Preference per ARSD 55:10:02:08.

NCRC: If you possess a National Career Readiness Certificate, please submit the certificate with your application. For more information on how to acquire a National Career Readiness Certificate contact a South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation Job Service Office. A certificate is not necessary to be considered.

The State of South Dakota does not sponsor work visas for new or existing employees. All persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and complete an Employment Eligibility Verification, Form I-9. The State of South Dakota as an employer will be using E-Verify to complete employment eligibility verification upon hire.

The State of South Dakota offers $0 premium employee health insurance option plus eleven paid holidays, generous vacation and sick leave accrual, dental, vision, and other insurance options, and retirement benefits. You can view our benefits information here . This position is a member of Class A retirement under SDRS.

"An Equal Opportunity Employer"